Mr. Chair and members of the committee, good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.
My name is Jeremy Morton. I serve as president of the Brantford Police Association and represent 330 frontline police officers and civilian personnel who work proudly to serve the citizens of Brantford, Ontario.
I also want to acknowledge that I appear here as part of the broader Canadian Police Association, which represents more than 60,000 frontline police personnel across the country.
From large urban centres to small and mid-sized communities like mine, police associations are united in supporting meaningful, practical bail reform that addresses the ongoing challenges posed by serious violent repeat offenders.
The introduction of Bill C-14 last week by Minister of Justice Sean Fraser represents an important and welcome step in that direction. As CPA president Tom Stamatakis has said, this legislation responds to long-standing calls from police associations across Canada to strengthen public safety and ensure that individuals who repeatedly commit violent offences face appropriate consequences. We appreciate that the government has listened to these concerns and taken action.
In Brantford, as in many parts of Canada, our officers routinely arrest the same individuals multiple times in a single year. Those arrests are made professionally, reports are completed and cases are brought before the court, yet far too often these same offenders are released almost immediately, without sufficient supervision or consequences for breaching their conditions. This revolving door of arrest and release drains police resources, frustrates victims and erodes public confidence in the justice system.
That loss of confidence is not theoretical. It's something that we hear directly from residents and business owners, who are tired of seeing the same individuals reoffending in their neighbourhoods. It also affects the morale of officers, who take pride in their work and want to know that the system they serve is fair, effective and accountable.
Bill C-14 proposes targeted measures that will help address these issues, including strengthening bail provisions for repeat violent offenders and ensuring that community safety is a central consideration in release decisions. These are practical evidence-based reforms that can make a real difference in keeping our communities safe.
Of course, no piece of legislation will solve every problem on its own. Implementation will matter, and continued investments in police services, Crown attorneys and correctional personnel will be essential in making these changes effective, but Bill C-14 is a significant and positive start.
Finally, I want to emphasize that public safety should never be a partisan issue. Canadians expect their elected representatives to work together to find common-sense solutions that protect communities and respect the rights of all.
Police associations across Canada are encouraged to see this legislation introduced, and we urge Parliament to move quickly and collaboratively to ensure that these measures are passed into effect as soon as possible.
Mr. Chair, our members are doing their jobs. They're arresting dangerous offenders and bringing them before the courts. We are asking that the justice system now do its part and ensure that those efforts have a lasting impact.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions.